Regional Affairs

Runway rebuild to temporarily close Mammoth

Pilots flying to the Mammoth Lake area this summer should be prepared to select an alternate airport while the 35-year-old runway at Mammoth Yosemite is being rebuilt. Construction is slated to begin May 19, but pilots should be sure to check notams for actual closure dates. Although officials considered leaving part of the runway open or allowing landings on a parallel taxiway, space restrictions, obstructions, and high density altitudes during summer months made those options unsafe. The nearest alternate is Eastern Sierra Regional Airport in Bishop, about 30 miles from Mammoth.

April 25, 2008